I have mixed feelings about another one of the Bush Administration's last-minute rule changes. This one would allow national parks to allow more use of mountain bikes on trails. Mostly though, I don't like it.
It might be argued that allowing mountain bikes on trails just allows a different way for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the parks.
But, if this is a good idea, park planners need to go carefully.
For example, allowing mountain bikes on popular trails such as the Delicate Arch, Devil's Garden, Klondike Bluffs or The Windows at Arches National Park would drastically change the entire experience. I know I wouldn't want the slickrock approach to the Delicate Arch, for example, turned into another Slickrock Bike Trail with dozens of mountain bikers riding all over the place.
Another difficulty would be that bike tires have the potential to add wear and tear on trails already suffering from a lack of maintenance in many cases.
Yet, compromises might be made. For example, bikes have used the White Rim Trail – an old four-wheel drive path – for years in Canyonlands. It is well managed and few would argue against bikes on that road. Why not keep the single path trails mostly for hikers but liberalize rules and designate routes on old four-wheel drive roads within the parks to accommodate mountain bikers inside the parks. And mountain bikes certainly shouldn't be allowed in designated wilderness.
What this comes down to is the basic conflict in the National Park Service's mission which, simply stated, is to preserve and protect parks for the enjoyment of the public. Some members of the public enjoy mountain biking. So, for that matter, do folks enjoy off-highway vehicle use. But if these activities have the potential to detract from preserving and protecting resources, they should be enjoyed on adjacent Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service multiple-use areas that have a different mission than those in national parks.
– Tom Wharton